Getting Started

How do I run a session?
How do I make saline?
How do I assemble the electrodes?
How do I check the electrodes?
How do I place the electrodes?
What are all the Pro features?

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started

NeuroMyst Pro is not a medical device. Our device does not claim to treat or prevent any medical condition whatsoever. However, we can provide you with educational content. Check out our guide for  electrode placement and the reddit community.

Yes. Pickling salt is best, but iodized and Kosher salts also work. Do not use salts with additives.

Yes,  if the saline is the right concentration (0.9% / 0.15 Molar) and has no additives. Eyedrop saline is not recommended.

Yes. Distilled water is ideal. However, drinking water also works.

15–150 millimolar (mM) saline is generally comfortable. 1 M = 1000 mM. Click here for details.

The ‘Presets’ are common research applications. You can see pictures of the electrode placements for the presets here.

Electrodes

Electrodes are made from conductive carbon rubber. Electrode cases are made from medical-grade thermoplastic material.

Some electrode montages show only one electrode. The second electrode goes on a neutral location near the deltoid.

The deltoid is the muscle surrounding your shoulder. Place the deltoid electrode on the backsiide, above the trapezius.

You can secure the deltoid electrode with a tight shirt, athletic wrap, or another headband.

Sponges can last months. To clean, microwave soaked sponges for 30 s once a week to prevent bacterial buildup.

We do not recommend gel (self-adhesive) electrodes. Safety standards require saline-soaked sponges for tDCS and tACS.

No. For your safety, electrodes should not directly contact your skin. Always place a sponge between the electrode and your skin.

No. For safety, stimulation should not be applied to the ear lobes without expert guidance.

Side Effects

Mild tingling is the most common skin response (71%) to stimulation. Side effects can be reversibly decreased by lowering the current level.

Yes. Light flickers are called phosphenes and happen when the eye’s retina responds to the electrical current. Phosphenes happen during tACS, and sometimes at the beginning or end of tDCS.

Itching (40%) and burning (10%) sensations can occur but are less common. These sensations are produced when small nerve endings are activated in the skin.

Headache can occur but is a less common (15%) side effect. If it occurs, severity is variable across individuals and sometimes goes away with use over time.

Stimulation generates warmth and also helps the blood vessels open up. Skin redness (erythema) to stimulation is harmless and may actually help with positive effects.

No. Current levels used during tDCS and tACS are 1000 times weaker than levels that burn skin.

Technical Questions

Version 1.0. The original NeuroMyst Pro displayed electrical readings during sessions. This confused many users, so we made the meter readings optional.

Version 1.1. You could read your electrode-scalp resistance by turning the meter on in the option menu. However, resistance values were not intuitive to users, and you had to turn the meter on every time you reset your device.

Version 1.2. Resistance readings were replaced with intuitive colors to indicate the quality of your connection: green is good, yellow is okay, and white is poor. Clicking options after each reset was inconvenient, so the meter can be turned on by holding the top-left button for at least 5 seconds. See the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuMYuYFOrps

Yes. tACS uses oscillating currents that go up and down, while tDCS uses constant current.

Researchers recommend no more than 60 minutes of stimulation per day. If you mix different montages, it may be hard to evaluate the effect of one montage.

See our montage guide for how long and often each montage is applied in research.

NeuroMyst Pro monitors how well your electrodes connect to the scalp.

  • Green is a good connection. No adjustments are needed.
  • Yellow is an okay connection. Adjustments can help but not necessary.
  • White is a poor connection. Adjustments are needed.

You may also feel skin sensations or see light flashes (see Side Effects).

No. NeuroMyst Pro is currently built to accept only one input / electrode pair.

Two parallel electrode pairs can theoretically be implemented by splitting one input into two inputs using an adaptor or splitter. However, we do not support any third-party electronic accessories, so please experiment at your own risk.

Yes. Resistances vary due to difference in hair, head size, and age. Resistances also fluctuate when we or the electrodes move.

A good electrode setup has a resistance of less than 20 kiloohms (kΩ). 1 kΩ = 1000 Ω.